Water-power



L. D. FOUNTAIN & J. MoDONALD.

' WATER POWER. No. 244,221. Patented July 12,1881.

N. PETER5, Pholwmlngnphe Wm D-C v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LORENZO D. FOUNTAIN AND JOSHUA MCDONALD, OF JACKSON, ALABAMA.

WATER-POWER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 244,221, dated July 12,1881.

Application filed November 17,1880. (Model) To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that we, L. D. FOUNTAIN and J. MCDONALD, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Jackson, in the county of Clarke and State ofAlabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Floatin gTide- Powers; and we do hereby declare the followin g to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to lettersor figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to floating powers for the transmission of thepower of runningstreams to machinery located on banks of the stream forexample, saw-mills and gristmills.

Ourimprovement consists inthe construction and combination of parts, aswill be hereinafter more fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure l of the drawings is an isometrieal perspective of our floatingtide-power. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same takenthrough the line or m of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thecone or fan shaped conductor.

In the annexed drawings, the letters A A represent two boats or floatssuitably connected and braced together, so as to form an open way orchannel between them extending from bow to stern. These boats should beof such a construction and form as will offer the least resistance tothe flow of the stream.

Between the boats or floats for the passage of the water is arranged anundershot waterwheel, B, the shaft of which is suitably journaled to theupper surface of the floats or boats, substantially as shown in Fig. lof the drawin gs. This undershot water-wheel may be constructed in anysuitable and well-known manner for use as an undershot water-wheel.

The letter 0 represents the cone or fan shaped trough or conductorpivoted at its rear end between the forward ends of the boats, and isprovided at its forward ends (corners) with chains or ropes a a, whichpass over pulleys located in the upper ends of the standards or uprightsb I), attached to the forward ends of the boats, as seen in Figs. 1 and2 of the drawings. The object of these ropes or chains attached to theforward end of the pivoted conductor or trough, and passing over thepulleys of the standards, is to adjust the conductor or trough to thecurrentof the stream or to raise the same from the current,substantially as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The fan-shaped conductor or trough O is bottomed and boxed on the sides,with its rear portion contracted, substantially as shown in Fig. 3. Thisconductor or trough is also formed at its rear end with brackets 0, toreceive the pivotal connection d, and at its forward end with eyes e, toreceive the chains or ropes.

Between the trough or conductor and the undershot water-wheel isarranged the vertically-sliding gate D, by means of which the water canbe shut off or let on at will when it is desired to stop or start themotion of the wheel. This gate can be done awaywith, for the trough willserve the same purpose on being raised, as seen in dotted lines of Fig.2 of the drawings; but we prefer to use the gate, it being moreconvenient to slide a gate than raise the trough or conductor.

The driving mechanism or means-gearing or belts and pulleys-foroperating the machinery on land or the banks of the stream are placed oneither or both boats. The driving means employed are those in use infloating powers.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In combination with a floating boat carrying an undershotwater-wheel, the cone or fan shaped trough or conductor C, pivoted atits rear end at the forward end of the boat in front of the water-wheel,and the chains or ropesaa, for elevating and lowering the conductor, asdescribed.

2. The combination, with a floating boat carrying an undershotwater-wheel, of the pivoted fan-shaped conductor 0, the elevating andlowering chains or ropes ac, and the slid ing gate D, all arranged inthe manner as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

LORENZO DOW FOUNTAIN. JOSHUA MCDONALD.

Witnesses:

J. E. DU Bosn, S. F. OoALE.

